Reversible magazine cinematographic apparatus



Feb.l 8, Y1944. L. E. WHITTAKER REVERSIBLE MAGAZINE CINEMATOGRAPHIC APPARATUS Filed Aug. 21, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l Z750/675507' l7' ry@ l @an Feb. 8, 1944. L E. WHITTAKER 2,341,402

,vl/y REVERSIBLE MAGAZINE CINEMATOGRAPHIC APPARATUS Filed Aug. 2l 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 n l y Mew?" .g dW/zm/zw I l mmf? Patented Feb. 8, 1.944

REVERSBLE MAGAZINE ClNE- MATOGBAPHIC APPARATUS Lloyed E. Whittaker, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to vTechnicolor' Motion Picture Corporation, Hollywood, Calif., a corporation of Maine Application August 2l, 1942, Serial No. 4555993 (ci. ss-iv) 8 Claims.

ln the art oi cinematographyit is customary to provide cameras, and sometimes other motion' picture machines, with lm. magazines having two spindles for supply and take-up reels and having means for mounting the magazines on the machine so that lnrmay feed from one reel through the machine and thence back to the other reel in the magazine. It is also customary to provide the supply reel with a brake so that it does not overrun while the illm is being fed therefrom. It is also common practice to provide light traps for the openings in the magazine through which ilm feeds to and from the magazine, the traps being closed automatically when the magazine is mounted on the camera.

Objects of the present invention are to provide a reversible magazine to which either spindle may be used for the take-up reel, .in which the other spindle is automatically braked, in which the light traps may be operated automatically in each position, in which the magazine is placedV on the camera, and which may be operated with equal facility in either position in which it is placed on the camera.

According to the present invention means are provided for reversibly mounting the magazine on the camera or other motion picture machine so that either spindle ci the magazine may drive the take-up reel while the other spindle slip"A ports the supply reel, together with means for automatically braking whichever spindle supports the supply reel without braking the other spindle, the latter means including a part on the machine which is automatically brought into operative relationship with one or the other oi the spindles depending upon the one or the other of its two positions in which the magazine is mounted on the machine.. Preferably the brake means comprises a brake for each spindle and means on the camera for releasing the brake on the spindle which drives the supply reel.

in a more specific aspect the invention involves means for automatically opening the aforesaid light traps when the magazine is mounted in either of its two positions, the means including two operators on the magazine for each opening and two actuators on the machine, the operators and actuators being positioned so that an actuator engages one operator in one position of the magazine and the other. actuator engages the other operator in the reverse position of the magazlne.

For the purpose of illustration a typical embodiment oi the invention is shown in the ac-V companying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a magazine with parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2 2 ci Fis. l; Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the magazine on the line 3 3 oi Fig. l, showing a part ci a camera in operative relationship to the maga- Zine;

Fig. 4 is a section on line t-t of Fig. 2, the right-hand portion ofthe gure being in elevation; and

Fig. 5 is a section on line @-5 oi Fig. 3.

The particular embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustration comprises a casing l having two reel compartments t and t. The compartments have doors t and t pivotally mounted at t and 1l, each door having e. latch 38 for holding it m closed position. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the magazine seats in a recess in the top of the camera C, the magazine having openings il and t through which lm feeds to and from the magazine. The camera is provided with a threaded'socliet it, held in place by a pin il, and the magazine has a pin i2 extendm ing down through a central vertical opening and threading into the socket for the purpose oi hold ing the magazine tightly in place.

Each of the compartments 2 and t is provided with a. central spindle it which `is mounted on a shaft it by means of a pin it. The shalt it is journaled in a bearing it mounted in the huh oi a disc il which is mounted in an opening in the side oi the casing by means oi screws ill, the spindle being recessed to receive the aforesaid hub in spaced relation thereto. To the outer end of the shaft iai is fast a sleeve it having tongues is adapted to fit into recesses in the end oi a colu lar it fast to shaft i@ which is journaled on a camera bracket it through the medium of roller bearings 2B. The outer end oi the shaft 2d is provided with a friction clutch comprising two parts 22 and it pressed together Icy means oi a spring 2d, the disc 2d carrying a sprocket wheel 25 which may be connected-to the motor of the camera through a sprocket chain.

To the sleeve it a brake drum il is secured by means of screws it. Extending around the upper and lower sides of the drum il are two brake shoes 3| and t2 which have peripheral recesses in their outer sides to receive the two brake arms 33 and it, these arms being pivotally mounted in the casing by means of a pin 36. For the purpose of pressing the brake shoes against the drum a C-shaped spring 31 has its hooked ends extending into recesses in the forward sides of the brake arms 33 and 34. Thus the brake may be released by pressing the free ends of the arms 33 and 34 apart. As shown in Fig. 1 the free ends of the arms are provided with semicircular recess I by which the brake may be released by inserting a circular pin through the opening 4i in the cover 42 which is fastened to the casing by means o f screws 43.

Mounted on the arm 5l of the bracket 2l is a `pin 52 adapted to project into the opening 4I when the magazine is mounted on the camera, thereby to release the brake on the associated spindle upon which the take-up reel is placed. In-

placing the magazine on the camera the magazine is set in the seat on the camerawith its upper end tilted forward and then, as the upper end of the magazine is pushed back into vertical position, the pin 52 enters the hole 4| to release the associated brake.

'I'he aforesaid openings 8 and 9 are provided with light traps 6| and 62 which occupy the position shown in Fig. 4 when closed and which open to the position shown in Fig. 5 when the magazine is placed on the camera. Slidably mounted in vertical bores in the central web of the magazine are two pins B3 having annular recesses 64. The light traps 6I and 62 are pivoted at 65 and 63 and are provided with tail pieces extending into both recesses B4. Thus when either pin 63 is pressed up against the action of its associated spring 61, the two light traps are swung to the open position shown in Fig. 5, and inasmuch as both pins are interconnected with the traps the other pin 63 is lifted by the traps as shown in Fig. 3. 'I'he camera is provided with a plunger 1| which engages one or the other of the two plungers 63 depending upon the position in which the magazine is placed on the camera. The plunger Il may be connected with the door of the camera so that the llight traps are closedv when the door of the camera is opened, as well as when the magazine is removed from the camera. Adjacent the openings 8 and 8 are two guide rollers 80 and 6I for guiding the lm to and from the openings.

From the foregoing it will be evident that when the magazine is placed on the camera in the position illustrated in the'drawing the reel in oompartmentv 2 serves as the supply reel and the reel in compartment 3 serves as the take-up reel, the brake on the supply reel beingV left in its normal operative position and the brake on the takeup reel being automatically released by the pin 52 as the magazine is applied to the camera.

Of the many uses for apparatus of this kind a typical example consists in exposing two rows of 16 mm. pictures on 35 mm. film in a camera having a 16 mm. aperture located off-center so that one row of 16 mm. pictures isA exposed along one margin of the 35 mm. nlm while the iilm is'run through the camera in one direction and another.

row is exposed along the other margin when the film is run in the reverse direction. According to the present invention the magazine need merely be reversed in position between the two runs.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims. I claim: 1. Cinematographlc apparatus comprising a two spindles for supply and take-up reels, means for reversibly mounting the magazine on the machine so that either spindle may drive the takeup reel while the other spindle supports the supply reel, and means for automatically braking whichever spindle supports the supply reel without braking the other spindle, said last means including a part on the machine which is automatically brought into operative relationship with one or the other of the spindles depending upon the one or the other of its two positions in which the magazine is mounted on the machine.

2. Cinematographic apparatus comprising a motion picture machine, a lm magazine having two spindles for supply and take-up reels, means for reversibly mounting the magazine on the machine so that either spindle may drive the take-up reel while the other spindle supports the supply reel, and means for automatically braking Whichever spindle supports the supply reel without braking the other spindle, said last means including a brake for each spindle and a part on the machine Which is automatically brought into oper ative relationship with one or the other of the brakes depending upon the one or the other of its two positions in which the magazine is mounted on the machine. J

3. Cinematographic apparatus comprising a motion picture machine, a film magazine having two spindles for supply and take-up reels, means for reversibly mounting the magazine on the machine so that either spindle may drive the take-up reel while the other spindle supports the supply reel, a brake for each spindle, and means for releasing the brake on the spindle which drives the supply reel, said last means including a part on the machine which is automatically brought into operative relationship with one or the other ofthe brakes depending upon the` one or the other-fof its two positions in which the magazine is mounted on the machine.'

4. Cinematographie apparatus comprising a motion picture machine, a film magazine having two spindles for supply and take-up reels, means for reversibly mounting the magazine on the machine so that either spindle may drive the take-up reel while the other spindle supports the supply reel, a brake for each spindle, and means for releasing the brake on the spindle which drives the supply reel, each brake com.. prising an arm movable back and forth between braking position and retracted position,v and a spring for urging the brake toward braking position, and said last means including a part on the machine which is automatically brought into operative relationship with one or the other of the arms depending upon the one or the other of its two positions in which the magazine is mounted on the machine.

5. Cinematographic apparatus comprising a motion picture machine, a nlm magazine having f two spindles fo'r supply and take-up reels, means for reversibly mounting the magazine on the machine so that either spindle may drive the 'take-up reel while the other Spindle supports is brought into operative relationship with onev motion picture machine, a nlm magazine having 'I6 or the other of the vbrakes to separate said free ends depending upon the one or the other of its two positions in which the magazine is mounted on the machine.

6. Cinematographic apparatus comprising a motion picture machine, a film magazine having two spindles for supply and take-up reels, means for reversibly mounting the magazine on the machine so that either spindle may drive the take-up reel while the other spindle supports the supply reel, brake means for automatically braking whichever spindle supports the supply reel without braking the other-spindle, said brake means including a part on, the machine which is automatically brought into operative relationship with one or the other of the spindles depending upon the one or the `other of its two positions in which the magazine is mounted on the machine, the machine and magazine having registering openings through which film feeds to and from the magazine, av movable light trap for the magazine opening, and control means for automatically` opening the trap when the magazine is mounted on the machine, said control means including two operators on the magazine and an actuator on the machine, the operators and actuator being positioned so that the actuator engages one operator in one position of the magazine and engages the other operator in the reverse position of the magazine.

'7. Cinematographic apparatus comprising a motion picture machine, a film magazine having two spindles for supply and take-up reels, means for reversibly mounting the magazine on the for the magazine opening, and means for automatically opening the trap when the magazine is mounted on the machine, said last means including two operators on the magazine and an actuator on the machine, the operators and' actuator being positioned so that the actuator engages one operator in one position of the magazine and engages the other `operator in the reverse position of the magazine;

8. Cinematographic apparatus comprising a motion picture machine, a film magazine having two spindles for supply and take-up reels, means for reversibly mounting the magazine on the machine so that either spindle may drive the take-up reel while the other spindle supports the supply reel, the magazine having openings through which lm feeds to and from the magazine, a movable light trap for each opening, and means for automatically opening the traps when the magazine is mounted on the machine, said last means including two operators on the magazine and an actuator on the machine, the operators and actuator being positioned so that the actuator engages one operator in one position of the magazine and engages the other operator in the reverse position of the magazine.

LLOYED E. WHITTAKER. 

